Hayes.] 414 [llarch 18, 



4. The cry, wholly different from that of the common goat, resem- 

 bles tliat of sheep. 



5. The milk is more fatty ; the odor of the male less strong and 

 disagreeable. 



6. The Angora, unlike the common goat, is fattened as readily as 

 the sheep, and the flesh is exceedingly palatable. 



7. The specific difference is finally established by the character of 

 the ci-osses, a point to be referred to hereafter with more detail. 



Tlie theory of the difference of species in these two races is not 

 invalidated by the fertility of the products of their crosses ; such fer- 

 tility having been observed in the mixed offspring of the more widely 

 i;eparated species, the horse and the ass. In this case it is well estab- 

 lished that the he mu'e can generate and the she mule produce, such 

 cases occurring in Spain and Italy, and more frequently in the West 

 Indies and New Holland. * 



The practical deduction to be drawn from the separation of the 

 two species is thus clearly stated by M. Sacc. "Tliere is then no util- 

 ity in creating flocks of the Angora for crossing with the ordinary 

 jjoat. We must limit ourselves to preserving the species in entire 

 purity and devote ourselves to improving the race by itself as has 

 been done with the justly celebrated merinos of Rambouillet."f A 

 leading object of this paper is to enforce the o])inion of this sagacious 

 and practical naturalist. 



Upon the introduction of the Angora goat into France in 1 787, and 

 more recently in 1855, the opinion was generally entertained that 

 the principal benefit to be derived from the new race Avould result 

 from the amelioration of the products of the common species. This 

 opinion unfortunately prevails in this country. It is sanctioned by all 

 the agricultural notices or essays which have been published respect- 

 ing the new race, and is naturally fostered by importers and breeders 

 to enhance the selling price of bucks. 



One of the earliest papers descriptive of this species which ap- 

 peared in this country Avas published in the Patent Office Agricultural 

 report for 185 7, J it being the abstract of a report upon the Cashmere 

 goats, as they were called, in the possession of Mr. Richard Peters, 

 of Atlanta, Georgia,'written by the well-known naturalist. Dr. John 

 Bachman, of Charleston, S. C. This excellent naturalist, repeating 

 the views at that time generally entertained, says: "The varieties of 

 goats are equally numei-ous and equally varied in different countries. 

 They are all of one species, the varieties mixing and multiplying into 



* Lyell's Principles of Geology. Vol. II., p. 4 3 

 t Bull. supr. cit., T. v., p. 571. 

 tp. 56. 



